CHAPTER 5 - A MASTER'S CHOICE

Heddicus had barely slept. He paced the stone-floored room like a child who just witnessed magic for the first time. His face was lit up with pure excitement, his voice bouncing off the villa walls.

"My master—no, Lord Davious—he's the real deal! Did you see how he flattened Lord Irrus like he was swatting a fly?! Hah! Martial Emperor? Please, the man couldn’t even lift his rod!"

He jabbed the air in mock combat, shadowboxing with dramatic flair.

"I bet if Master really wanted, he could level the whole academy with a sneeze! One sneeze! Pffff! BOOM!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms wide.

A hand smacked down lightly on the back of his head.

"Ouch!" Heddicus winced, rubbing the spot. "Okay, okay! I'm done, Master! Just let me have my moment, would ya?"

Davious didn’t say a word. He just walked past, lips curled slightly into a faint smirk.

---

The sun rose early the next day, bathing the peaks of Ormadock Academy in golden light. With his hands clasped behind his back, Davious strolled through the academy grounds in silence. The paths were bustling with students, some rushing between lectures, others gathered in the courtyards sparring with wooden weapons or meditating under trees.

He passed the library, a massive building with floating glyphs circling its roof. He glanced at it briefly, then moved on, letting the aura of the place soak into him.

Eventually, the echo of a cheering crowd caught his attention. He followed the noise until he arrived at a wide, open arena carved into the side of a hill. The place was packed with students, gathered around stone steps overlooking a circular dueling stage.

Davious joined the crowd, keeping his presence masked.

"One token," said a young man at the edge of the ring, holding out his palm.

Davious handed him a small coin without hesitation.

"Who's fighting?" he asked casually.

"Ennod versus Ferro. Rank 155 against 160. Ennod's got the strength of a bull. Martial Master, fourth stage. Ferro's quick, first stage. Should be a decent fight."

Davious nodded and leaned forward, his gaze sharp.

---

The arena trembled under the roar of excited students.

"Ennod! Crush him!"

"Ferro! Dance around him like you always do!"

Two figures stood in the center. Ennod was a mountain of a man, thick arms like stone pillars and a broad chest that strained against his combat vest. Ferro, in contrast, was lean and wiry, his eyes darting like a wolf sizing up prey. He held twin daggers, their blades gleaming under the morning sun.

A loud gong echoed.

The fight began.

Ennod charged forward like a rampaging beast, slamming his fists into the air as he activated a martial technique—Iron Ram Fist. The ground beneath his steps cracked. But Ferro was gone.

A blur of motion.

Ferro appeared behind him, slashing.

Clink!

His blade bounced off Ennod's skin like it hit steel.

"He hardened his body already?!" a student gasped.

Ennod twisted, swinging a backfist that would've shattered a boulder. Ferro ducked, spun, and vanished again.

The crowd exploded.

"Fast! Too fast!"

High up on a balcony, a few academy instructors looked on.

"That boy Ferro... his agility is unnatural for someone at the first stage."

"But he lacks attack power. He can't pierce Ennod's defense."

Back in the ring, Ennod roared, activating Stonehide Form. His entire body shimmered with a silver sheen. He lifted both arms and slammed them into the ground.

Ferro jumped, twisting midair, trying to land another blow from above.

Another clang. Another failure.

Ennod caught his leg mid-spin.

BOOM!

He slammed Ferro into the dirt with a thunderous crash, then lifted him again and punched him square in the chest. Bones cracked.

Gasps filled the arena.

"Ferro! Get up!"

But Ferro lay still, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

The referee waved his hand.

"Winner—Ennod, Rank 155!"

Davious stood quietly, eyes narrowed. Not out of shock—but interest.

He turned and walked away, leaving behind the roaring crowd, the trembling Ferro, and a blood-splattered stage under the burning sun.

ter that day, after gathering more information about the two students who clashed earlier, Davious walked silently through the inner quarters of the ranked students. His footsteps were quiet, yet his presence seemed to stir the very air around him. The sun was sinking behind the peaks of Ormadock, casting long golden shadows across the cobbled paths.

Inside one of the secluded rooms, Ferro lay shirtless on his bunk, beads of sweat clinging to his skin as he nursed a nasty bruise on his ribs. He groaned quietly, pressing a cold cloth to his side, unaware of the figure that now stood behind him.

“You gonna die whining like that, or do something about it?”

The voice came low, calm, and strangely chilling. Ferro flinched and sat up instantly, grabbing the nearest object—a short blade—but paused when he turned around to see Davious standing casually in the doorway, hands behind his back, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

“Who the hell are you?” Ferro asked, panting slightly, “How did you even get in here? This area’s restricted.”

Davious chuckled, stepping forward slowly. “You sure ask a lot of questions for someone who can barely move without crying.”

Ferro gritted his teeth, the blade still in hand. “You better state your business. I don’t care who you are. You can’t just—”

“I’m here because I was impressed,” Davious cut him off, calmly moving toward him. “Not by your strength, no. That’s laughable. But your spirit… now that’s something else.”

Ferro looked confused and cautious, still not dropping his guard.

Davious knelt beside him. “You’ve got speed, instincts... But you're barely scraping your potential. Let me help.”

Ferro raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes. “Help? What are you—”

Before he could finish, Davious placed a single finger to his chest and pulsed a tiny stream of his soul force into the young man’s body.

Ferro’s eyes widened as he gasped, feeling an overwhelming warmth surge through his meridians. The pain in his body vanished instantly. A bright green aura erupted from within him, pulsing like a storm. The room trembled slightly as the power swirled.

A breakthrough.

The aura gradually dimmed. Ferro sat still, blinking, his chest heaving as he processed what had just happened.

“I... I broke through,” he stammered. “Third stage... just like that?!”

Davious stood. “Told you. I’m not here to waste time.”

Ferro dropped to his knees. “Senior! Who... what are you?”

“Call me Master,” he replied. “And starting today, if you’re willing, you’ll be my disciple.”

Ferro looked dumbfounded. “You... want me? But why?”

“Because I see in you what others don’t,” Davious said simply. “And because I’ll take you to a realm even the Martial Emperors haven’t touched.”

Ferro’s mouth hung open in shock. “I... I’ll do it! I’ll become your disciple!”

“Good. Pack your things. Head to the Purple Orchid Villa. Wait there.” With that, Davious turned and walked out, not sparing another word.

---

Outside another quarter farther down the compound, Ennod was shirtless and sweating, his body gleaming in the fading light as he practiced brutal palm strikes against a reinforced stone pillar. Each strike sent dull echoes across the yard. His breathing was controlled. His focus sharp.

“Your posture’s sloppy. You’re losing seventy percent of your strength in the twist,” a voice said smoothly from the shadows.

Ennod turned sharply. “What?! Who the—”

Davious walked toward him, slowly clapping his hands. “You’re strong. But strength without control is like a wild ox. Powerful, but dumb.”

Ennod frowned. “You some kind of instructor?”

“No,” Davious replied. “But I might be the only person around here who can make you more than just a brute with muscles.”

“Tch. Say one more word, and I’ll break your damn jaw.”

Davious grinned. “Go ahead. Try.”

Without hesitation, Ennod roared and charged forward with a fierce strike—one of his signature techniques, Stone Crushing Palm—aimed straight for Davious’ chest.

But the next second, he found himself flat on his back, eyes spinning, lungs gasping for air. He hadn’t even seen what happened.

Davious stood over him, hands still behind his back. “You done?”

Ennod coughed and forced himself upright, humbled and rattled. “What... what do you want?”

“To offer you the same thing I offered the other boy. Power. Guidance. Discipline. But only if you agree to become my disciple.”

Ennod stared up at him for a few long seconds, then lowered his head. “Fine. Just make me strong. Stronger than anyone else.”

Davious extended his hand and gently pulsed another burst of soul force into Ennod’s body.

A violent swirl of crimson energy burst around Ennod as his aura exploded. His cultivation jumped—stage after stage—until he landed firmly in the 7th stage of the Martial Master realm. His eyes went wide as realization set in.

“I... I made it this far in seconds?! This is insane!”

Davious turned away. “Meet me at the Purple Orchid Villa. You’ll be staying there from now on. Both of you.”

Without another word, he vanished into the shadows, leaving the courtyard buzzing with residual energy and a stunned Ennod still catching his breath.

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